Penthouse

It's been a while since I posted any new work. There are a few reasons for this, the chief of which was I got married and took an awesome honeymoon trip across the country with my most excellent bride. Before we left I got a call from Penthouse magazine and The December 2011 issue has 2 of my illustrations in it. These be them:

Nikita

Nikita is an amazing fire performer and though I couldn't have her do her fire show in my living room I hope this is the next best thing.

52 Pin Up

My New Pin Up Art App is now available at the itunes store. It's a deck of Cards each with a gorgeous pin up girl. It works great on the iPhone and iPod Touch. Only 99¢!

The Saga of 52 Pin Up

I've been teasing people for a week or so about my big announcement. Well, it has been delayed but I feel like I need to let you all in on it. I don't mind a good tease as long as there is some payoff.

My friend and genius Steve and I have been working on an iPhone app that features my Pin Ups. It's called 52 Pin Up. It is a deck of pin up playing cards. 54 cards (including jokers) each with a different Ronnie Werner Pin Up girl. It shuffles and displays a random card. You can also turn it on it's side and browse the whole deck.

Apple recently came out with ratings for all iPhone applications. In those ratings is a "17+" category.

"17+: You must be at least 17 years old to purchase this application.

Applications in this category may also contain frequent and intense offensive language; frequent and intense cartoon, fantasy or realistic violence; and frequent and intense mature, horror, and suggestive themes; plus sexual content, nudity, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs which may not be suitable for children under the age of 17."

We submitted an "R" rated version of 52 Pin Up to apple. If you've seen my work you know it is essentially "Playboy style" nudity. Boobs and butts. Nothing too graphic. My work is meant to be fun and sexy, a modern take on the old school pin ups of the 40's and 50's.

Apple rejected the "R" rated version. It is of course, their right to reject any content they wish and I'm not here to bitch about Apple. That said I'm a little puzzled about what is deemed appropriate in their opinion. Clearly, from the above rating nudity is allowed or will occur in games and apps with the 17+ designation. This is the response we got with our rejection.

"Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple's reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users."



We have replied and kindly asked Apple to point out what images were found objectionable so that we may correct them and get out an app that shows some boobs and butts. We are waiting to hear back but are committed to working with apple to get an "R" version of 52 Pin Up out.

All that said, we have submitted a "PG" version of the App. We are hoping that this one will be approved this week. I'll keep everyone posted. If the PG version is a hit I think we will have a better chance of getting the "R" version out.

Am I wrong?

I get a ton of requests that generally go like this . . . "Hey man, dig your work, can you tell me how you do it?" or "Can you show me how to make my art like yours?" "Can you give me a tutorial?"

I have spent the better part of 40 years drawing, I spent 20 of those years (after a failed attempt at art school) working my ass off to actually get paid to draw. I worked shit jobs, Shit graphic design jobs. Yes graphic design is a shit job - ask any artist who had to sit through a trashing of his work by a salesman. In a well know firm where i once worked, I was the only "artist" of 28 hot shot designers who could draw.

I have had more portfolio rejections than I can count. I've had clients who refused to pay for hundreds of hours of work. I lost count of comic conventions I've been to or the hours I have waited in lines next to virgins with sharpies just to get an editors bored rejection. I never gave up.

I now have a small amount of success, hard earned. Working 15 hours a day 25 days a month. I love it and would not give it up for anything.

I heard a comic artist say once "I don't have fans, I have people who want my job."

So for those of you who want to know how to do what I have spent my entire life working for . . . the answer is No.

Go draw . . . with a pencil and some paper. Really.

PARTY!

A Dream Come True!

I was 13 or 14 when, in search of Frank Frazetta art books, I stumbled upon Heavy Metal Magazine. Fascinated, and a bit shocked I took it up to the counter. The old bag at the checkout looked at me, looked at the magazine and told me I was too young to buy this "trash". I jumped up on the counter, grabbed the cash register and beat her to death with it. I got grounded for a whole week. During my internment I vowed to someday be published in Heavy Metal.

Well holy shit, that day is almost upon us. I just sent in artwork for the November 2007 issue! I'm so excited I have to wear Depends® all the time now. The issue comes out the second week of September. I'm gonna have a big party here in P-town. My buddy Pete has a bar that sells magazines called the Press Club and I am taking over the place. He is ordering a ton of copies and I will have my Art up on the walls. If you want to be there with all the cool people, drop me a line, I'd love to see you there.

I want to thank Kevin Eastman for giving me space in his great magazine. Kevin you are so invited to the party!

Ronnie